Peer Editing Poe Analysis Papers

Partners Everyone needs to get a partner and sit in a comfortable place with that partner. Everyone needs colored pencils. You may share them.

First Read Each of you needs to read through the other’s paper just to get a feel for its flow and content.

Thesis Statement Find the thesis statement. It needs to be the last sentence of the introduction. Underline the thesis statement and put a smiley face in the paper’s margin if the thesis statement is clearly stated. If it’s seems a bit wordy or unclear to you, put a question markin the margin.

Topic Sentence of First Body Paragraph Find the topic sentence of the first body paragraph and underline it. Choose a different colored pencil. It should be the first sentence of the first body paragraph. It should state the first point made in the thesis statement. If both of those are in place, put a smiley face in the margin; if not, put a question mark.

Supporting Material Read through the first body paragraph again. In a different colored pencil, underline strong support for the topic sentence. Write a note in the margin as to how strong you feel the quotes support the topic sentence. Do they make you understand the topic of the essay better? Does the author’s filler tie the topic sentence and the quotes back to the thesis statement? If not, write the author a note in the margin of the essay.

Now… Read the second and third body paragraphs and do the same. Use the same colored pencil for each topic sentence, and the same colored pencil for the supporting material. Be sure all supporting quotes strongly support the overall topic of the essay (e.g. mood).

Transitions Circle ALL transition words. Remember that you need transition words to move smoothly from paragraph to paragraph and idea to idea with each paragraph. Write your author a note as to how strong you think the transition words are.

Lastly Read the introduction and conclusion. Does the introduction begin the paper in an interesting way? Remember that beginning with a question is pretty middle school level writing. Does the conclusion tie up the paper in an effective way? Does it restate the thesis statement in different words?

Finally… Meet with your partner and give him/her at least two positives about the paper and one way he/she could make the paper stronger. Be sure to ask any questions about the paper you may have (e.g. if something is unclear to you).